Motor Swap SectionTech and Follow-My-Build Threads for members looking to put a different engine in their Mustang

Welcome to Mustang Forums!

Welcome to Mustang Forums.

You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our community, at no cost, you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is free, fast and simple, so please join our community today!

Swap 3.8 with 4.6

I have a 95 Mustang 3.8 v6 with 97,000 miles I am having cooling problems even after a cooling system upgrade, the car drives beautiful for the first hour, then it does not stop overheating and the overflow fills up, I am thinking I have a headgasket problem.

So thinking of some options I could fix the headgaket for I am thinking under $1000.

Or I was looking at maybe a upgrade I found a 4.6 with 62,000 miles from a Ford Tunderbird for $1090. also found a 4.6 from a 95 Ford Tunderbird with 66,000 miles for $990. all tested for compression, leak down test and oil pressure test.

My questions are will this work? and what would I need to change?

I do have a Manual transmission

This ad is not displayed to registered or logged-in members.Register your free account today and become a member on Mustang Forums!

A 5.0 swap would be much easier and a lot cheaper. Either way there is a lot more involved than just swapping out engines. You need a harness and computer for a v8, plus if you go with a 4.6l engine youll need a new transmission and youll have to find a way to mount the engine on that K-member or swap the k-member.

A 5.0 conversion could be as simple as dropping the engine in , getting the correct harness and computer, and your trans will bolt right up to the 5.0. Ive seen the 5.0 engines in great shape sell for about 400 bucks, and a lot of times they come with the harness and all.

In my opinion the 4.6l swap would cost far more than it would be worth, by the time your all said and done you could have sold your car and taken the money you would have spent on the swap and get a 96-97 GT with the 4.6l all ready in place.

If you want info on what to do to effect your swap, use google - there are plenty of people that have already blazed that trail for you, and ytou can find lots of good info on the internet (asking this question in a forum will just get you responses like dawsons - "it ain't worth it", or "you're wasting your time").

My advice is to save ALL of the money necessary for the swap, and then buy the parts. Once you start the swap, you can't afford ANY break in the process because once you'd had to stop (for whatever reason), it's that much harder to pick it back up and finish the project.

I researched and planned my S197/351w swap for over a year before starting to spend any money. I established a parts list and estimated a $25k cost (I am also swapping out the transmission), started saving money in October of last year, and started spending money in June.

My engine is almost done, and I have all of the parts I think I need. The only delay I see happening would be due to electrical issues, which will be resolved as they are encountered.

So, do it this way:

0) Start saving

1) Research process

2) Establish parts list

3) Estimate cost and then add 25% for labor and fabrication

4) Once you have the money saved, re-evaluate and decide whether or not you really want to go through with the swap

5) Start buying parts

6) Once you have ALL of the parts you can identify (no mattter how seemingly insignificant), start the swap.

Final note - it REALLY helps if everyone in the household understands the project, the goal, and your passion to complete it.

A 5.0 swap would be much easier and a lot cheaper. Either way there is a lot more involved than just swapping out engines. You need a harness and computer for a v8, plus if you go with a 4.6l engine youll need a new transmission and youll have to find a way to mount the engine on that K-member or swap the k-member.

A 5.0 conversion could be as simple as dropping the engine in , getting the correct harness and computer, and your trans will bolt right up to the 5.0. Ive seen the 5.0 engines in great shape sell for about 400 bucks, and a lot of times they come with the harness and all.

In my opinion the 4.6l swap would cost far more than it would be worth, by the time your all said and done you could have sold your car and taken the money you would have spent on the swap and get a 96-97 GT with the 4.6l all ready in place.

I am starting to like the sound of a 5.0

I found a good deal on a 5.0 with 57,000 miles on it all tested compression, leak down, and oil pressure tested

If you want info on what to do to effect your swap, use google - there are plenty of people that have already blazed that trail for you, and ytou can find lots of good info on the internet (asking this question in a forum will just get you responses like dawsons - "it ain't worth it", or "you're wasting your time").

My advice is to save ALL of the money necessary for the swap, and then buy the parts. Once you start the swap, you can't afford ANY break in the process because once you'd had to stop (for whatever reason), it's that much harder to pick it back up and finish the project.

I researched and planned my S197/351w swap for over a year before starting to spend any money. I established a parts list and estimated a $25k cost (I am also swapping out the transmission), started saving money in October of last year, and started spending money in June.

My engine is almost done, and I have all of the parts I think I need. The only delay I see happening would be due to electrical issues, which will be resolved as they are encountered.

So, do it this way:

0) Start saving

1) Research process

2) Establish parts list

3) Estimate cost and then add 25% for labor and fabrication

4) Once you have the money saved, re-evaluate and decide whether or not you really want to go through with the swap

5) Start buying parts

6) Once you have ALL of the parts you can identify (no mattter how seemingly insignificant), start the swap.

Final note - it REALLY helps if everyone in the household understands the project, the goal, and your passion to complete it.

Cool thanks, yeah and that is why im here,

0. Saving Money

1. Research

that's where I am at right now, not even to sure on the motor I am going for, well yeah I think me heart is now set on the 5.0

Do some checking on line , but I have been trying to recall from years ago when I put the 302 in my 95 v6. I believe I had to swap to a 5.0 bell housing and input shaft from a 94-95 gt. Iirc the 3.8 uses the shorter bell like the fox body cars did, along with a shorter input shaft. The difference is like 3/4" shorter. You should be able to locate a bell and input shaft either on ebay or your local junk yard. Sorry if I led you astray for a bit, but it just came to me today that I am pretty sure I had to swap those out. I think I paid a little over 300 for the swap.

Do some checking on line , but I have been trying to recall from years ago when I put the 302 in my 95 v6. I believe I had to swap to a 5.0 bell housing and input shaft from a 94-95 gt. Iirc the 3.8 uses the shorter bell like the fox body cars did, along with a shorter input shaft. The difference is like 3/4" shorter. You should be able to locate a bell and input shaft either on ebay or your local junk yard. Sorry if I led you astray for a bit, but it just came to me today that I am pretty sure I had to swap those out. I think I paid a little over 300 for the swap.

Well I can handle that lol I already ordered my bbk long tube headers and offroad X pipe for $560.

I glad you did the project that I am taking on, did you do the work yourself or did you have a shop do the work?

Nah I did it all my self, exept I didn't go the efi rout, my 302 was a 68 barn find that I rebuilt and dropped a bigger cam in it so I was running a 600 4bbl edelbrock carb. I just needed to pull the electric pump out of the tank and throw a old style sending unit in.

Your gonna get a bit more involved with all the electronic efi stuff .

Nah I did it all my self, exept I didn't go the efi rout, my 302 was a 68 barn find that I rebuilt and dropped a bigger cam in it so I was running a 600 4bbl edelbrock carb. I just needed to pull the electric pump out of the tank and throw a old style sending unit in.

Your gonna get a bit more involved with all the electronic efi stuff .

This forum is owned and operated by Internet Brands, Inc., a Delaware
corporation. It is not authorized or endorsed by the Ford Motor Company and is not affiliated with the Ford
Motor Company or its related companies in any way. Ford® is a registered trademark of the Ford Motor
Company